Roasted Guinea Fowl

Roasted guinea fowl © kvalifood.com

Guinea fowl tastes like something between chicken and pheasant — a bit more character than chicken, but milder than game. Here it is pot-roasted slowly with tarragon and parsley inside, and served with a mushroom cream sauce. A nice and slightly festive dish that deserves more weeknight dinners than it typically gets.

Ingredients

Yields 3-4 servings

  • 1 guinea fowl, thawed
  • 4 sprigs parsley
  • 3 sprigs tarragon (or 1 tsp dried)
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 50 g butter
  • 2 dl stock (or Madeira)
  • 1-2 dl heavy cream
  • 250 g mushrooms, quartered
  • 1-2 tsp lemon juice

To serve

  • fries (or bread/baguette)
  • green beans

Directions

Stuff the guinea fowl

Pick the parsley and tarragon free of tough stems. Place the herbs inside the guinea fowl. Brown the giblets in a little of the butter and pour them into the bird along with the browning butter. Season with salt and pepper. Close with trussing pins and truss the bird.

Brown and pot-roast

Pat the guinea fowl dry with paper towels. Rub with salt and pepper. Brown the rest of the butter in a casserole until golden. Place the guinea fowl in and brown it on one side first, then the other. Lower the heat. Pour in 1 dl (½ cup) of stock and put the lid on. Let it roast over low heat for 1–1½ hours. Turn it 2–3 times during cooking. Add more liquid if needed.

Make the sauce

Remove the guinea fowl, wrap it in foil, and keep it warm. Strain the cooking juices and pour them back into the pot. Skim off the fat. Add the mushrooms, any additional stock, lemon juice, and cream. Let the sauce reduce for 5–8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serving

Cut the guinea fowl into 8 pieces. Arrange on a warm platter with the mushroom cream sauce poured over. Serve with fries or bread and green beans.

Notes

  • Guinea fowl is only available frozen in many countries and often needs to be ordered in advance. Ask your butcher.
  • The meat is darker and more flavorful than chicken. Follow recipes for pheasant, but allow a slightly longer cooking time.
  • Tarragon is the classic herb for guinea fowl — the fresh version gives the best result.
  • Madeira instead of stock gives a sweeter and more aromatic sauce.
  • The guinea fowl can also be roasted in the oven: brown it first in a pot, then transfer to the oven at 355°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes.